1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to head wear systems and in particular to head wear systems that afford for the selective accessorization and sizing of head wear.
2. Background Art
Head wear serves many functions and purposes. Head wear is worn to protect the head or other parts of the upper body from ambient weather conditions, to prevent injury to the head, to retain the hair in windy conditions, to protect the head from blowing dust, to keep sweat from the scalp from draining over the face, and in some cultures to show respect and modesty. Almost every type of head wear is, however, available in a variety of styles and shapes.
As a result head wear may also serve as an ornamental component of a wardrobe having the potential to attract attention to the wearer or to make a statement relative to the identity or group association of the wearer.
The basic component of most head wear in western cultures is the hat. Hats have several common features. The top portion of a hat is often referred to as the crown. Most hats have a closed crown. The inside of the bottom or base portion of a hat contacts the head of a wearer above the ears and is referred to as the headband. Most hats are made with the headband having a specific size, but some hats are constructed so as to be adjustable to the size of each individual wearer. Some styles of hats have a brim, a bill, or one or more flaps attached to the base of the hat at various locations and that project or depend therefrom as determined by fashion or the intended utility of the brim, bill, or flap. Some hats even have eye protection attached to the headband.
A popular type of hat referred to as a baseball-style hat comprises a cap that closely covers the crown of the head and a bill that extends outwardly from the front of the cap. The cap of the hat protects the head of the wearer and the bill keeps the sun out of the eyes and off the face of the wearer. Even this style of hat, however, has numerous variations. The headband of a baseball-style hat completely encircles the head of a wearer, although the rear of a baseball-style hat is frequently provided with an opening that affords for ventilation of the head of the wearer. A baseball-style hat with such an opening is also thereby enabled to be selectively sizable. The sizing system bridges the opening and together with the headband encircles the head of a wearer.
Sizing systems for the baseball-style hat use sizing bands that are permanently attached to the base of the cap at each side of the opening. The sizing bands extend across the opening and are attachable in a longitudinal relationship determined by the wearer. The baseball-style hat cannot be worn unless the sizing bands are thusly connected across the opening. Should either sizing band become broken or damaged, the hat becomes useless.
A hat is most often used as protection against precipitation, sun, or cold. There are many types of head wear available that provide protection against the weather. One type of hat is made for the specific purpose of providing protection against the sun. The head wear has a permanently attached and downwardly extending rear flap that covers the back of the neck. A headband that is attached to the head wear has elastic portions along the sides of the head wear making the head wear adjustable to the correct size. Attached to the outside of the headband is eye protection that can be lowered as needed.
A disadvantage with this head wear is that should the rear flap not be needed, the entire head wear must be removed. In addition, the head wear provides little protection from adverse weather other than sun or wind.
A baseball-style hat with a depending flap that covers the neck of a wearer can also be used. The flap is secured directly to the bottom of the back portion of the head wear and may be either detachable or permanently attached to the hat. The flap only protects the wearer from sunburn.
Other types of hats are made specifically to keep precipitation off the head and out of the eyes of the wearer. One type of rain protection is head wear that includes a deployable cape. The head wear may be in the form of a cap, a visor, or a headband. Stowed inside the head wear against the inner lining or inside the inner lining is a cape which may be deployed. When deployed the cape extends below the bottom of the head wear and is draped around the shoulders, back, and chest of the wearer. The inner lining retains heat from the head of the wearer inside the head wear. The lack of breathability causes an even more serious problem if the precipitation stops and the temperature increases. The cape will be restowed inside the hat and will retain even more heat because of the further reduced breathability and ventilation. The hat with the cape stowed either against the inner lining or inside the lining, will also be heavy and may be tiresome for the wearer. Because the cape is permanently attached to the head wear, there is no way to avoid this problem.
Stowing the cape may result in an uneven surface contacting the head of a wearer. In addition, the head wear will fit differently when the cape is stowed than when the cape is deployed.
A U-shaped clip can be used to connect a downwardly extending flap that covers the neck and ears of a wearer to the base of the head wear. The U-shaped clip has a hook and pile fastener, such as a VELCRO.RTM. brand hook and pile fastener, mounted on the outside surface of one of the upstanding sections of the U-shaped clip. Mounted on the flap is a cooperating hook and pile fastener. The U-shaped clip is attached to the headband of the head wear by the U-shaped channel forcibly engaging the base of the head wear.
A problem with using a U-shaped clip is that part of the U-shaped clip is inside the head wear and contacts the head of the wearer. An additional drawback is that the accessories extend only below the base of the head wear.
The problem with the weather is that it changes, sometimes quickly and unpredictably. A hat that is waterproof and protects the wearer from the rain, may be overly warm and uncomfortable when the sun comes out. Similarly, a hat that is light and cool for hot sunny weather does not offer significant protection against a sudden rain shower. A hat that is a comfort in cold weather may be too hot if the temperature rises. A hat that is made to protect the ears or the neck from inclement weather becomes burdensome in the sunshine.
The specific weather conditions for which a hat is worn may not endure. Each hat is manufactured to have a specific utility and is not able to accommodate changing conditions. The wearer has to own multiple head wear, each specifically adapted to distinct weather conditions.
Hats have become popular for reasons other than utility. When head wear is used as an ornamental component of a wardrobe the wearer may want to vary the look of the hat, so as to avoid appearing to wear the same hat day after day. This requires owning multiple hats and may become costly. Other hat wearers are more concerned with being able to personalize the hat or have the hat reflect the interests or group associations of the wearer. Accommodating these concerns requires owning multiple hats and again is costly. A hat may be used to reflect personal loyalties or tastes, such as an interest in sports, that the wearer has been to a specific event, or that the wearer is loyal to a certain manufacturer, employer, media corporation, political candidate, or special interest group. The taste or interest of a wearer may change, but the visual indicia on the hat is permanent. The wearer must own multiple hats to vary the appearance of the head wear.
Head wear that is used as an ornamental component of the wardrobe includes those hats that are used either as part of a costume or as novelty head wear. There are many types of novelty head wear. One of the most common is a hat having permanently attached animal features. To wear a different animal feature or wear more conventional head wear, multiple hats must be owned.
One way wearers use a hat as an ornamental component of their wardrobe is to wear a hat rotated at various positions about the head so that the sizing band contacts the forehead of a wearer. Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation results in a line on the skin of the wearer from the sizing band that may become visible when the hat is removed.